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“Iron Man 2” Hits Internationally

According to The Hollywood Reporter, “Iron Man 2” has already grossed $100.2 Million overseas in just five days of release.

Countries like Australia, Russia, and the United Kingdom have already welcomed the film. While it is unusual for a major Hollywood release to appear in foreign markets first, “Iron Man 2” has a good reason to do so: football. According the THR article, “Paramount rushed “Iron Man 2″ into the foreign market a week before the film’s domestic bow on May 7 to provide the film longer theatrical playing time before the monthlong World Cup begins in South Africa on June 11.” Much of the film’s key demographic will have their attention focused on the sporting event, a legitimate worry for any film opening during this period. Interestingly enough, the article also mentions the film will debut in Japan on June 11th.

They also note the film is performing better than its predecessor. Â “The U.K. opening round furnished $12.2 million from 528 venues, 49% ahead of the ‘Iron Man’ opening gross (excluding $1.4 million in preview grosses) in pound sterling, said Paramount. In Korea, the opening launch generated $10.8 million from 855 situations, 79% ahead of the comparable ‘Iron Man’ figure.”

The film opens in here in the US on Friday. Reviews have been generally positive with a 75% freshness rating on the tomatometer at rottentomatoes.com.The Hollywood Reporter‘s own review is negative. “What made the original film so, well, original, was the notion of a superhero as a conflicted individual with enough complexes and mental crises that saving the planet became a sort of stress-relief valve. Now he’s borderline psychotic,” writes THR’s Kirk Honeycutt.

With the film opening here Friday, big domestic sales numbers are pretty much a guarantee. The only question is, how big will they be?